Learned to Love
by Iheartbd's
Summary: '"You don't have to go back, you know," she whispers in his ear, her breath tickling his skin.' Because even if she really is a consolation prize, Reyna is sure that one day he'll learn to love her. Written for Sadie Breezy.


**Hey! So, this one-shot is for Sadie Breezy, one of the winners of my Paul contest. Their request was a Percy/Reyna romance one-shot.**

Reyna sees him on top of the aqueducts, looking down at the festivities on the streets of the Forum. His dark black hair hangs over his face, masking the sea-green eyes peering out underneath, now clouded with resentment and hurt. She climbs up next to him and sits down, gazing at the Berkley Hills in the distance.

"You really shouldn't be up here," she tells him bluntly.

He glares at her. "And why not?" She can see his eyes fully now, great glowing orbs filled with the deepest sorrows, and somehow, a bone-dead tiredness. It scares her, almost, to see him like this.

"Well," she tells him, "It _is _your party, after all. You're coming across as very rude to the majority of the population." She doesn't have to tell him what majority that was.

He goes back to staring again, his gaze seemingly fixed on one person in the throng of party-goers. Reyna can tell who she is- her golden curls splaying out behind her, her gray eyes filled with mirth and happiness. Her tinkling laugh echoing up even this distance.

Her short, Latino dancing partner, waltzing a bit too close for 'just friends'.

Reyna can see why Percy doesn't want to be anywhere near there.

"You don't have to go back, you know," she whispers in his ear, her breath tickling his skin. He pulls away, his eyes pleading.

"I can't," he says, "you know it. Everyone… everyone is counting on me there. I can't just run away from my problems."

"You can," she says. "Think about yourself for once. And you wouldn't be running away. You wouldn't be running at all. Stay," she pleads.

He grumbles. "It's the same thing, and you know it." He looks up. "I'll… I'll think about it. Please, just…" She nods and gets up, leaving him in silence.

…

The next morning, the entire camp meets on the Field of Mars. While the camps hold a certain degree of trust for the other after the war, it still wasn't enough to allow Greeks into the camp. The Argo II will be departing this morning with all of the Greeks… and Jason.

This is a great blow to the Romans, though Reyna is secretly glad. That one of their own would leave them to be with a Greek- a praetor, no less- was preposterous. It is almost akin to betrayal.

Octavian, having just heard the news of Jason's departure, comes running out of the Via Principalis to start his sales pitch for praetor yet again.

"Romans!" he shouts, "We are in need of a new Praetor! We-"

Octavian is swiftly cut off by Reyna. "Now, I hardly think that is necessary," she says, surprising the Romans. "After all, there is one here among us who is undoubtedly more… qualified for this position, if he chooses to accept." She turns to Percy. While he still hadn't answered her yet, she is sure of his reply.

Percy looks back at the line of Greeks, almost longingly. His eyes run down the line until the meet the entwined hands of Annabeth and Leo. He looks away.

"Yes. If the people of Rome see me fit to be their leader, I will accept."

There is murmuring from up and down the row of Greeks. Only Annabeth seemed neutral in the matter.

She steps up. "Percy, are you sure?" She offers no fake promises of his acceptance at the camp, or even that their friendship would remain. She seems to understand it just wouldn't matter.

He nods, his eyes hardened with a new resolve. "I am sure." Annabeth nods before turning to the rest of the departing half-bloods.

"It is time. Everyone get back to the ship- there is nothing more to do here." She catches Percy's eyes one last time, a silent message going on between the two of them. And then, just like that, she is gone. All of them were; off to their own camp with their own people.

Percy turns away, heading to the barracks before the ship has even left the ground. Reyna clasps his arm and spins him around violently.

"Thank you," she whispers.

He doesn't respond.

…

A year goes by, then two. There isn't any contact from Camp Half-Blood except for the occasional PM from Jason. Percy is a great leader and Praetor; strong, brave, and very, very Roman. His loyal and loving Greek side has taken a backseat to his new, harder personality, though sometimes his closest friends could still see it.

And, of course, Reyna is frustrated.

She has tried, so many times, to get him to go out to coffee. Or lunch. Or dinner, or a party, or a movie. Just as friends, of course, but even still, he refuses. It was work this or occupied that, a subtle 'not quite yet.'

But Reyna is nothing if not stubborn. At first, she placates herself with the idea that after his last letdown via Annabeth (that sly, conniving bitch) he isn't ready for a new relationship, friends or not.

Okay, fine. But isn't two years enough?

It goes on this way for almost another year- until one day, Percy gets the contact he was waiting for, in the form of a letter, from one Leo Valdez and Annabeth Chase.

A wedding invite. He is to be a groomsman.

Percy promptly answers- by throwing the letter in the trash. And then asking Reyna out for coffee the next day.

She is thrilled.

…

Another few years pass; Percy and Reyna become the new power couple of New Rome. Their small relationship consists of nothing more than lively banter and sheepish kisses. Reyna is content. She knows it will amount to more soon.

There is something more though, something missing. Reyna can remember before the seven's quest, before whatever had gone wrong in Percy and Annabeth's relationship had happened. She can remember that undying devotion that Annabeth had had for Percy, and the love he had shown her back.

Did she have that?

Oh sure, she loved Percy with all of her heart. She had even told him so. But whenever she brought up the concept of love, he had grown distant, and always found a way to not answer her. She had let it go, because if he wasn't comfortable with something, neither was she. She wouldn't force him to say anything he didn't mean.

But still, she wonders.

…

Ten years pass. Reyna loves Percy more with every day, while he gets further away from her, more distant. Their relationship is much more serious, though still in some way lacking. Reyna wonders if he ever will propose. She doesn't think she'll mind if he never does; it's not like it would change much. She just wishes that she would have a more solid reminder that he loves her on her finger, a promise, even if he's never said it once. But she doesn't think she'll care, one way or another.

They're lying in bed one night when she asks him.

"Do you ever regret this?"

He rolls over, sheets crinkling, to face her.

"What, do I regret not going to Camp Half-Blood?"

"Mmhmm."

He stops to think about it. "I don't know," he says frankly. Reyna frowns.

"I love you, you know."

He turns away.

**So, as much as I love (kinda) the Preyna relationship, I think it's doomed to fail. I mean, the kind of love Percy has for Annabeth just can't be overlooked. Anyway, review!**


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